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| Volume XXXVI, Number 2 Summer, 2001 |
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| Early Pacific County
Pacific County Boundaries |
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| Volume XXXVI, Number 2 Summer, 2001 |
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| Early Pacific County
Pacific County Boundaries |
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| The
Sou'wester |
| ISSN #0038-4984
Copyright, 2002, by the Pacific County Historical Society. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the Society's Editorial Board. The Sou'wester is a quarterly publication of the Pacific
County
Historical Society and Museum. The Pacific County Historical
Society is a non-profit 501(C)(3) organization in South Bend, Washington.
In addition to the Sou'wester, the Society publishes a monthly newsletter for its members and operates the Pacific County Historical Society Museum in South Bend, Washington.
Design and electronic page layout by Charles B. Summers,
South Bend, Washington.
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| The
Sou'wester Summer Issue, 2001
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| Introduction
February 4th, 2001, was the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Pacific County. That this date passed bye relatively unnoticed should not be taken as a sign that the anniversary lacks significance. On the contrary, many of the institutions and systems which we take for granted today were in their formative stage of development at that time. Individual personalities and opinions played a much bigger role in local governance back then. County responsibilities and powers were also much broader during the 19th century. Unfortunately our understanding of those times is often foggy at best. Surviving documentary evidence often raises more questions than it answers. From the perspective of present day the task of separating fact from assumption in Pacific County’s earliest history is a difficult task. In this issue of The Sou’wester we have some assistance in the task from two of the best historians available, Frank Turner (1882-1961), and Bob Bailey (1918- ). On the occasion of Pacific County’s sesquicentennial I asked Bob to prepare an essay on the earliest county history. In carrying out this task Bob recalled the newspaper stories written by Frank Turner for the Ilwaco Tribune during the 1950s. Rarely reprinted since that time, Turner’s stories have stood the test of time remarkably well. Bob proposed to use extensive quotes from selected Turner stories to create a narrative of the formative period from 1851 till 1890. |
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| Two of
the contentious issues from Pacific County’s early years were courthouse
location and boundary changes. I like to tell students that the first
Pacific County Courthouse was actually a black bag full of books and papers.
Although the bag’s exact color is not a matter of record, we do know that
the county government function was remarkably portable compared to today.
The Commissioners Court, as it was known back then, could and did meet
wherever convenient for the elected officials. Courthouse locations
designated by the Territorial Legislature were honored when possible.
County boundaries in Washington underwent frequent revision during territorial days. Most of the changes would have mattered little to the early white settlers, except at tax time. |
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| White residents could get fairly upset by
a visit from the sheriff-tax collector (one job) of two different counties
in one year. The Indians must have looked on all this fuss about
property lines and boundaries as so much foolishness. The local Natives
clearly understood commerce and ownership, however, and the changes in
their world during the century were certainly profound.
I know that some people probably consider boundary changes and courthouse locations merely historical trivia. I would suggest, however, that this history reflects broader economic changes in Pacific County during the 19th century. Early development of the Columbia River salmon fishery as well as several overly optimistic real estate developments along the River help to explain why the seat of government rested in several south county locations from 1851 until late in the Century. Rapid development of the forest products industry by outside investors along with related population growth in the north part of the county during the 1880s and 90s made a move to South Bend in 1892 inevitable, not just an act of piracy. In fact the whole courthouse removal story, long a favorite piece of local folklore, is overdue for factual reexamination. But that, as they say, is another story. I would especially like to thank the Murfin Family of Ilwaco and scholar Carol Kammen for their special assistance in preparing this issue. Pacific County Historical Society Museum 2 |
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| Notes On Early Pacific County
By Bob Bailey with excerpts from the writings of Frank L.Turner, pioneer, editor, and historian The early history of Pacific County has been written and rewritten, told and retold, so many times by pioneers and historians that it seems like old hat to do so again. Yet, we would be remiss if we allowed the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Pacific County in Oregon Territory, to go by without repeating some of its historic beginnings. Pacific County was the third county formed north of the Columbia River in Oregon Territory in what later would become the Territory and the State of Washington. It was authorized on February 4, 1851, by the Oregon Territorial Legislature. Few, if any, can surpass the late Frank Turner of Ilwaco as a researcher and writer of early Pacific County history. Excerpts from Turner’s writings make a good summation on county beginnings and a serve as a recognition to Turner himself. In fact we want to let Frank Turner write our 150th anniversary story. |
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Many are too young or possibly were not readers of The Tribune at Ilwaco
at that time, and have not read Frank Turner’s historical writings, under
the title “Auld Lang Syne,” which appeared in the columns of that newspaper
in the mid-1900s and reflected his great interest and research as to county
beginnings as well as stories of pioneer families and institutions in the
peninsula area. His stories of shipwrecks in the area provide graphic
and interesting stories of the lower Columbia and Peninsula area. His columns
often were filled with stories submitted by other pioneers.
His writings are largely centered about the Long Beach peninsula and lower Columbia River region but it must be remembered that in the early days of Pacific county, that area was the center of community development, commerce and political activity. The center of Pacific county activity away from the peninsula was gradual and seemed officially and politically sanctioned when voters selected South Bend over Oysterville as county seat in 1892. |
Clara Case Turner and Frank, courtesy of the Turner-Murfin family (PCHS #2001.55). |
| About Frank Turner
Frank Turner himself came from a pioneer family. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Turner, came to Washington Territory in 1871, settling at Bay Center in 1877. His father, J. H. Turner, was sheriff of Pacific county in territorial days from 1884 to 1890, and then was the first sheriff elected in Pacific county after Washington became a state, serving a two-year term 1890 to 1892. Frank was born at Riverside [near present Raymond]. The family, living at Bay Center, moved to Oysterville during his father’s years as sheriff, later moving to South Bend. |
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Mr. and Mrs. Dick Murfin accepting an award from the state newspaper association on behalf of Frank Turner. The award recognized Frank Turner's contributions to preserving history (PCHS #2001.55). |
| Frank graduated from
South Bend High School, attended the University of Puget Sound and the
University of Washington and briefly taught school. He was called
back to South Bend on the death of his father, then South Bend postmaster,
in 1905. Local newspapers record that “Republicans were anxious to
fill the postal vacancy with a person agreeable to both factions of the
party.” Frank Turner was chosen and served
the remaining two years of his father’s term and a four-year term of his
own.
He married in 1911 to Clara Case, daughter of Raymond lumberman, E. E. Case. He served as Raymond postmaster for four years, 1912 to 1916, after which he was engaged in the lumber business with his father-in-law. In 1924 he became owner, publisher and editor of the North Beach Tribune, later The Tribune, at Ilwaco. He served in this capacity until 1942 when he turned the newspaper over to his son-in-law and daughter, Dick and Martha Murfin. It was in his “retirement” (perhaps he had more free time to do what he loved to do) that he assembled and published so many of his articles on early county and Peninsula events. Turner probably never enjoyed anything as much as being selected first curator for the newly established Fort Columbia Historical State Park near Chinook. He worked enthusiastically and tirelessly with individuals and organizations and assembled a very creditable exhibit of artifacts and records of early Pacific county in one of the houses at the Park which had been set aside for that purpose. He served several years in this capacity until ill health forced his retirement. He passed away in February 1961, at the age of 79. He was an active participant in community and church affairs, a member of the Pacific County Pioneers Association, and was a charter member of the Pacific County Historical Society. Frank reveled in writing stories of the origins of Pacific county during its 100th anniversary year in 1951 and the centennial of Washington Territory in 1953. He would have had a field day in retelling and reprinting some of these stories at the 150th birthday of Pacific county in 2001. The following information and remarks were collected from writings by Frank Turner himself, and extended direct quotations from his work are delineated by indented text. They represent not one complete story, but in many cases bits and pieces written from several articles written by Turner on the same subject, mostly appearing in The Tribune, and with the approval and cooperation of his son-in-law and daughter—Mr. and Mrs. Dick Murfin. Some quotations come from Turner’s writing in the 1953 Yearbook of the Associations of County Commissioners and County Engineers with their approval. |
| Lewis and Clark
Turner was an avid student of the Lewis and Clark expedition, especially of their arrival and winter in the lower Columbia river area near Chinook and at Fort Clatsop. He wrote many articles on this aspect of the expedition. It is interesting to note one of his conclusions, first quoting a letter from President Thomas Jefferson to the great explorers as to the object of their mission: “The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri River, and such principal streams of it, as by its course and communication with the waters of the Pacific Ocean, may offer the most direct and water communication across the continent for the purpose of commerce.” Turner says: “Washington historians tend to skip the story of the Lewis and Clark encampment and the Oregon historians play up Fort Clatsop (a mere winter camp) and a small salt-boiling outpost at Seaside. One does not blame them, but skipping over the ‘attainment of their objective’ at Point Chinook is like skipping Plymouth Rock on Cape Cod as a Pilgrim landing place.” Early Days In June 1844, the area north of the Columbia, which is now in the State of Washington, was established as Vancouver County by the Oregon Provisional Government. One and one-half years later, in December 1845, the area west of the Cascades, except for a small sector east of the Cowlitz river in southwestern Washington was taken from Vancouver County and named Lewis County. Later, in 1845, Vancouver County was renamed Clark County. These two counties existed when Oregon became a territory in August, 1848. In December 1850, thirty-five citizens living near the Washington side of the mouth of the Columbia, petitioned the Oregon Territorial Legislature to establish a new county named Pacific in the southwest corner and that its county seat be Pacific City. Turner says: “It was more than likely done at the instance of the promoters of the Pacific City townsite, and the name was evidently their choice.” Turner quotes the Oregon Spectator of February 13, 1851, shortly after Pacific County was authorized, that Pacific City had about 75 people.
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A modern U.S.G.S. topographic map with the rough boundaries of Pacific City added. Compare this to the nice rectangular plat map on page 9. |
Washington Territory
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| County Boundaries
Pacific County’s boundaries have been altered many times over the years. A detailed story on boundaries will appear elsewhere in this issue of The Sou’Wester. Two of most drastic boundary changes were made to the three-year old county by the first legislature of Washington Territory in 1854. In March and April of that year, along with others, the counties of Wahkiakum and Chehalis (later Grays Harbor) were formed. Wahkiakum county took over a great portion of the southeast area that had been in Pacific county, and as told above, Chehalis county took over a great deal of Shoalwater Bay, most of which had never clearly been defined. This southern alignment of Chehalis county resulted not only in a large number of Shoalwater Bay residents holding elective and appointive positions in Chehalis county, but in several cases early residents of the Willapa Valley represented Chehalis county in the territorial legislature. This situation was ended when the 1860 legislature drew boundary lines placing Shoalwater Bay in Pacific County, replacing Bruceport as county seat of Chehalis county, and ordered an election at the next general election for voters of Pacific county to choose its county seat from ‘two or more locations.’ While the legislative act exists on the statute books, a diligent search of the records has failed to reveal any such election (Now they have; please see page 16 of the Summer 2003 Sou'wester - Web Editor). Like Frank Turner wrote about the selection of Oysterville in 1855 and being unable to find the vote totals “that Oysterville must have won,” if such an election was held in 1860, it must be presumed that Oysterville won again because it remained the county seat until the election of 1892 which transferred it to South Bend. |
Plat map for White's Pacific City. Found in the collection of the Huntington Library, and published for the first time here with their kind permission. |
Pacific City
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Astoria “Worried?”
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Historical Society (OrHi 728, #1114). |
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| The “Formative” Fifties
The 1850s saw the most dramatic happenings in Pacific County development as well as elsewhere. Starting in 1849-50, the promotion of Pacific City drew many to the area and drew the attention of many more. The organization of Pacific County in 1851 was another high point. Probably the most important influence in the development of the region and the county was the passage in 1850 of the Donation Land Claims Act in which each person in the Territory prior to 1850 could claim 360 acres of land, 620 if married. Later provisions gave men coming after 1850, 160 acres, 320 if married. The Donation Land Claims act thus encouraged married couples to settle on the lands, bringing many wives and families to the area. Before the end of the 50s, Donation Land claims (many with wives) speckled the area from Willapa Valley to the Peninsula. Settlement was on its way. First Women
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A portion of the original plat for Oysterville found in the first deed book for Pacific County and reproduced here with assistance from the Pacific County Auditor and Washington State Archives. |
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| Pacific County Boundaries and Timeline
Editor’s Note: While preparing preceeding early County history for publication, it became apparent that the numerous boundary changes made during the 19th Century were hard to describe in words. Consequently, we present here a series of maps, drawn to scale, depicting the changes over time as accurately as possible. Modern place names and communities are also shown for reference. We found some discrepancies in the worded legal descriptions from state law. This, combined with the sketchy surveys and maps from the period make our reconstruction of the boundaries less precise than they may appear. Nevertheless, we hope the reader can gain some idea of how the early white settlers conceived of their political world.
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In this animated gif, eight periods are shown. The first seven periods are on a 2 seconds pause, and the last period is a 4 second pause. If the gif stops looping, click <Reload> on your browser. 14 |
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Pacific House, Oysterville, Washington. This famous photo from the 1880s is usually identified as a Superior Court session. Obviously court sessions were a popular spectator sport. PCHS #10-8-87 (6). |
